


Hot Guy from 4B

by WhenHopeSmiles



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, But not really that cute, But there is some puking, F/M, Getting Together, Meet-Cute, Sickfic, nothing too serious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 07:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13970337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhenHopeSmiles/pseuds/WhenHopeSmiles
Summary: All she could see through the peep hole was a mop of curly blond hair, which looked suspiciously like it belonged to Hot Guy in 4B.  She unlocked the door and carefully pulled it open so he wouldn’t crash to the ground from where he was leaning on the door.“Hello?” She said, and as Hot Guy made a pained groan that was maybe supposed to sound like a “Hi” she continued, “Are…are you okay?”





	Hot Guy from 4B

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! This is the first story I've posted, and as such, I'd greatly appreciate any feedback y'all might have. Enjoy!

A door slammed down the hall, and a few moments later there was a weak knock on her door. Curious, _I definitely haven’t ordered take out today_ , she propped the broom up in the corner of the kitchen and went to look out the peep hole. All she could see was a mop of curly blond hair, which looked suspiciously like it belonged to Hot Guy in 4B. She unlocked the door and carefully pulled it open so he wouldn’t crash to the ground from where he was leaning on the door.

“Hello?” she said, and as Hot Guy made a pained groan that was maybe supposed to sound like a “Hi” she continued, “Are…are you okay?”

“No—not…not good,” HG groaned, shifting to lean on the doorframe and finally lifting his head up. He was distressingly pale.

Deciding that he probably wasn’t going to murder her, she did know where he lived— _though how that will help when they find your body, I don’t know_ —she quickly grabbed his free arm and half dragged half pulled him into her apartment and sat him down on her couch, him biting his lip and clearly trying to suppress whimpers all the way.

“I’m gonna—“ she cut off, noticing he looked vaguely green, “—be right back.”

She jogged into the kitchen and poured a glass of water, wet a clean hand towel, and grabbed a big bowl before quickly returning. “Here, have a sip of this,” she helped guide his hands around the glass and slowly tipped it up to his mouth and let him have a sip or two before taking it back. Gently mopping his brow with the towel, she said, “My name is Megan. Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

He sucked in a breath between his teeth. “I—I know who you are.” _Well, that’s not creepy_. “I’m Nick.” His voice carried a lilting accent. “I…don’t know what’s wrong. But it really hurts. Also feel dizzy. Maybe pass out?” He sucked in another breath. “Also I can’t find phone.” He managed to look both extremely pained and remarkably embarrassed by this fact. “Maybe need hospital? But maybe okay. Sorry.” Suddenly he winced—in pain or embarrassment, she wasn’t sure—and belatedly added, “It’s nice to meet you, Megan. Thank you.”

Huffing out a laugh at his manners in the face of what looked like pretty intense pain, she reassured him, “No worries. Why don’t you tell me what hurts?”

Haltingly, Nick managed to explain his symptoms and when they had started. When he turned especially green, Meg put the bowl in place before rubbing his back as he threw up. She wiped down his forehead again, let him swish and spit some water before putting a kleenex box in his shaking hands and getting up to empty the bowl into the toilet. It seemed like he was mostly coming up with bile, but there were a few dark flecks of what could possibly be blood. Alarmed, she quickly rinsed the bowl before coming back and sitting down to rub his back some more.

“It sounds like you might have appendicitis and it also looks like you may be puking up blood. So! I’m definitely calling an ambulance.” She tried to stay cheerful and mask her alarm to keep him from panicking.

Nick took a moment to process her words before weakly shaking his head, “No—you don’t have to. I will call with my phone.”

“Yeah, buddy, unfortunately your phone is MIA,” she reminded him absently as she dialed 9-1-1 and the call connected, continuing to rub his back.

As they waited for the EMTs to arrive she teased out some more information about him. Apparently he was Swedish, over in the States getting his PhD in history. She tried to find out if there was someone she could call, but the only people he knew, he didn’t have their numbers memorized. She gently took his hand to comfort him. It seemed like the pain continued to worsen, and as it did his grasp on English slipped away more and more. When the EMTs finally showed up, she did her best to relay what Nick had managed to tell her.

“Will you be riding with us, ma’am?” one of the EMTs asked, as they were getting ready to load Nick onto a stretcher and get him downstairs.

Meg looked down at where Nick was still clutching at her hand. _It’s not like you’ve got much in the way of plans today_. “Yeah, I’ll ride along.”

 

After the hustle and somewhat frantic rush of getting to the hospital, where Nick was diagnosed with a ruptured appendix, Meg sat down heavily in the waiting room she had been shown to, Nick’s keys in her hands after he had dropped them on the floor, earlier.

_Well. I think they said the surgery should last a couple of hours. Time to be a bit creepy and go prowl around Hot Guy’s—Nick’s—apartment to look for his phone?_

 

Distracted by rating her Uber driver as she was getting out of the elevator on her floor, she didn’t notice the large, visibly frustrated man standing outside 4B until she was almost at Nick’s door.

“Um, can I help you?” she asked, hesitant.

“Where is Nicky? Who are you?” came the growled response.

“Oh! Are you a friend of Nick’s? That’s wonderful. Uh, so, Nick is in the hospital? I’m his neighbor, Meg,” she pointed to her door, just down the hall, “and he lost his phone and sort of fell into my apartment and he seemed really sick so I called 9-1-1 and the EMTs came and they took him to the hospital and now he’s in surgery and I’m back here trying to find his phone cause he said he lost it but I really don’t want him to wake up alone after surgery cause he’s really sweet even if he did throw up in my living room so I was just coming here to try and find his phone cause he gave me his keys and…sorry. Yeah.”

Large Man’s eyebrows had had been steadily lifting through her ramble and were now resting just under the shaggy fringe of hair that flopped onto his forehead.

“Uh, who are you?” she asked, finally realizing that maybe she shouldn’t just be spilling her guts to an angry-looking man in the hallway.

“I’m Alex,” he said hurriedly. “But Nicky, is he okay? What’s wrong?”

“He ruptured his appendix. I don’t know how, but I think the surgery is pretty routine, so he should be fine. Can we,” she held up Nick’s keys, “go inside and find his phone and maybe some clothes for him and then I can drive you back to the hospital?”

“Yes, yes,” Alex stepped back and waved her toward Nick’s door.

 

They returned to the hospital with Alex carrying one of Megan's old gym bags stuffed with clothes for Nick, his phone, his phone _charger_ (“Hold on, Alex. His phone won’t do him any good if it dies after 2 hours.”), various toiletries, a couple of books Meg had lying around in her apartment (“I don’t want to mess up his bookshelves, Alex!”), and a sudoku book they had found on Nick’s kitchen counter.

When they checked in at the front desk to find out where Nick was, they were told he was just being wheeled into a recovery room, and should be waking up from the anesthesia in the next 20 minutes. Meg found the appropriate wing and lead Alex to the correct hallway (“Wow, Alex, how do you find your way anywhere?”), before pointing at his room and making to turn around and leave.

“Where are you going? Not want to see Nicky?” Alex asked, grabbing her arm as she made to go.

Meg turned back and fumbled, “Well, I just—he doesn’t know me? And—and maybe too many people will be overwhelming?”

Alex fixed her with a look. “You live in apartment 4A, yes?” At Meg's nod he continued, “Trust me, I think he’ll be happy to see you when he wake up.” He grinned winningly at her before accepting her silence as agreement and towing her down the hall to Nick’s room.

15 minutes later, Alex had gone down the hall to find the bathroom and some coffee. Meg rolled her eyes at herself, _I can’t_ believe _you’re about to do this_ , and muttered, “I hope you like murder mysteries, Nick,” before opening The Hound of the Baskervilles and starting to read softly.

 

 _Hmm. She said she just wanted milk, right? No sugar? Well, we’ll see._ Just as Alex was about to push the door to Nicky’s room all the way open, however, he glanced up and noticed Meg had pulled her feet up onto her chair and was softly reading aloud to Nicky. A Nicky who was awake, and looking at Meg with the most dumbfounded expression Alex had ever seen on him. Shifting the coffees into one hand and carefully wrestling out his phone, he managed to get a video of the scene before interrupting, “Nicky! You’re awake!”

Meg startled, not knowing she had anything but an entirely unconscious audience. While she was busy turning red and fumbling to put the book away, Nick turned to glare at Alex before coughing a bit and saying hello.

“So worried when you not show up for lunch.” Alex shook his head exaggeratedly, offering Meg's coffee to her and nodding at her quiet thanks. “Don’t need to go to hospital just to avoid me.”

“Alex,” Nick said, exasperated, falling into a fit of coughing again.

Meg rushed out of her chair to get the cup of water off his bedside table and help him take a few sips through the straw. After he was done drinking, Nicky gave her such a soft smile, and she couldn’t help smiling back, thinking how his smile made his already attractive face even more so. _Wow, Meggy, the poor guy just got out of surgery, and here you are, ogling him!_  Her thoughts were interrupted by Alex clearing his throat.

“Jesus,” he muttered under his breath, “Be more obvious, you two?” And louder, he said, with a wicked look in his eyes, “So, how do you feel, Puke-y? Meg said you throw up on her?”

Nicky’s eyes widened dramatically and he turned bright red as he looked at Meg and started to say, “I’m so _sorry_ —”

Meg's eyebrows shot up before she tried to correct Alex, “No! No, I said—”

“—I can’t believe I—“

“—not on me, just in—“

“—I’m so so sorry, Megan…”

“—just in my living room! It’s okay!”

They both broke off as Alex started cackling.

“Best story to tell grandkids. ‘Grandma, how you meet grandpa?’ ‘Well, grandson, he throw up on me, and I fall in love.’”

Both Meg and Nick turned even redder, Nick glaring at Alex while Meg's stomach dropped and she cursed herself for being so obviously into Nick that even Alex could see it. She looked down at the ground and cleared her throat before saying, “Well, um, sorry for uh—sorry you’re sick. I’ll just—I’ll just leave so you can recover in peace. I—I really hope you feel better soon,” she finished softly, meeting Nick’s eyes for a split second before grabbing her phone, clutching her coffee, and shuffling towards the door.

“Oh—you don’t—I mean, thank you,” Nick said sadly, heart sinking as he watched Meg walk to the door, confused by the tight smile she pasted on as she replied, “No problem, really.”

Alex rolled his eyes dramatically and moved over to block Meg from leaving the room. “You two. Are train disaster. I don’t understand. You!” he pointed accusingly at Meg, making her shrink back, “Stay!”

Shocked into submission, she tried not to cower as she moved closer to the wall, still wanting to get farther away from Nick, since there was maybe a chance that he thought Alex was joking about the whole ‘falling in love’ thing, and she wanted to stay as far away from him as possible to keep up the illusion.

She was so caught up in figuring out how to distract from the fact that it had taken Alex a grand total of one hour with her to figure out how colossal her crush on Nick was that she didn’t notice Alex and Nick having a staring competition that ended when Alex said quietly, “Look, you making her sad. Be nice, ask on date, maybe wait to kiss till out of hospital,” he ended with a grin.

“Alex, don’t be cruel,” Nick responded, cautiously, but starting to regain hope that maybe 4A, the girl who helped old Mrs. Peterson carry her groceries up the stairs, and who sat down on the floor to pet 4C’s family dog when they came back from a walk, and who invited him into her apartment, and cleaned up his _puke_ , and called him an ambulance, and _read aloud to him in the hospital_ , might like him back.  _Huh._

“Nicky. I many things. Not cruel. Also have eyes!” He seemed satisfied that Nicky believed him, and so turned back to Meg, who was paying very close attention to her phone. He took her gently but firmly by the shoulders, turned her around to face Nicky, and urged her back into the chair she had vacated earlier.

“Here. Keep reading. Nicky has never read Sherlock Holmes, and he look _veeeerrry_ interested when you reading earlier. I’ll be gone for twenty minutes. Saw cute nurse, want to say hello.” At Nicky’s skeptical look Alex just raised his eyebrows and nodded his head pointedly towards Meg, who had obediently picked up the book and was skimming down the page to find where she had left off. Realizing that yeah, 4A probably really _did_ like him back, Nicky gave Alex a warm smile before turning his attention fully on Meg, who had found her place, and after tucking her feet back under her, started to read softly.

Nicky glanced up to see Alex closing the door, and reached out for Meg's free hand, which was wrapped tightly around her knees. Meg didn’t notice, still confused about what was going on, but decidedly not leaving Nick alone while Alex went off to flirt, and if he really _had_ seemed interested earlier, who was she to deprive someone of the wonder of Conan Doyle? As Nick gently took her hand, she looked up, not sure whether to keep reading or not.

“I—do you…want something? The water’s right here,” and she uncurled herself to put the book down and reach for Nick’s water glass. She stopped when he tugged gently on her hand, making her lean forward out of her chair.

Nick took a deep breath to calm his nerves and said, “Meg, will you go to dinner with me?”

Meg's heart started hammering, 99% sure that he wasn’t just talking about eating dinner in the hospital with him to keep him company. “Yes?” She smiled slightly, but still a bit nervous, asked, “Like, as a date?”

Nick’s answering smile was response enough, but she squeezed his hand when he clarified, “Yeah, like a date.”

She tried to hide her grin and not sound _too_ enthusiastic when she said, “Yes.” Then she thought, _fuck hiding my enthusiasm_ , and clarified, “Yes I’d _really_ like that, I think you’re really cute even when you’re throwing up in my living room and you’re so nice when you see the Jeffersons and kneel down so you can talk to Daniel on his level, and Mrs. Peterson told me about when you helped her install some bookshelves, and I just…” she trailed off, noticing Nick trying to hold back a laugh. But before she had a chance to get offended, he pulled her hand to his face and pressed a gentle kiss to her palm, making her heart skip and her mind go blank.

 

When Alex returned (having given his number to a strikingly intelligent nurse who he really hoped called him after her shift was over), Nicky was lying on the edge of the bed, and Meg's chair had been pulled up flush with the bed. Their linked hands rested near Nicky’s chest while Nicky looked up at her adoringly, and she read to him, a soft smile on her face.


End file.
